


sowing the seeds

by JessKo



Series: The Prank War Chronicles [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: Anal Sex, Consentacles, Cooking, Fluff, Gratuitous internal monologue, Humor, Knotting, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oral Sex, POV Thrawn | Mitth'raw'nuruodo, Porn With Plot, Xeno, both of these boys are so oblivious it hurts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-02 12:37:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18811063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JessKo/pseuds/JessKo
Summary: Always at Admiral Thrawn's side, Eli Vanto's loyalty is unmatched, and Thrawn has realized that his appreciation of the human runs much deeper than just for his wit and skill.After years of being simply colleagues, Thrawn decides to finally take matters in his own hands, making arrangements for a confrontation that could make or break their relationship. A meal is shared, lies are uncovered, and a mutual understanding is reached.What is not mutual, however, is biology.





	1. planting

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired greatly by the wonderful Prank War collaboration project, this work explores how a small prank could change the trajectory of Thrawn and Eli's lives forever. 
> 
> Told from Thrawn's POV.

It is rare that my mind is clear throughout the day.

There are many distractions, of course, but to blame my condition fully on external actions would not be the full truth. And it is of utmost importance for me to be honest with myself foremost. As for my crew, it is ideal for them to also believe that I am presenting myself honestly.

In my office, alone, with the lights dimmed, is where my best work is performed. Yes, on the bridge I have garnered a reputation for leadership and prowess in battle. Yet it is when I may fully immerse myself in research that the greatest wars are won. The fight to understand my surroundings, meaning what it is that there is to combat, and then to extrapolate and predict the actions of adversaries.

There is one war, however, that continues to allude me. This is the challenge to comprehend my aide, Eli Vanto.

From our first introduction, I understood that there was something different about Vanto. Where many of the humans I met carried themselves with false pride, Vanto tried to seem as small and insignificant as possible despite being the most qualified to asses my case. Yes, being just a cadet is cause plenty to defer to a superior, but one should also assert their expertise.

Then again, such logic is what eventually lead to my exile from the Ascendancy.

As an officer of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet, I had sworn my life to protect the Ascendancy, and not a single element could distract me from my work. In my duties to the Galactic Empire, this is simply not the case. So, the little bit of time alone I can carve for myself is of utmost importance to my performance in my duties. Being the commander of a vessel leads to challenges in finding seclusion, and now there is a ring at my door. Reaching for the panel built into the austere desk I sit behind, I permit entry to my visitors.

“Admiral.” The first human begins, a dark-haired male by the name of Lieutenant Yogar Lyste. “There is something we must discuss. Vari and I, I mean-”  He is uncomfortable in my presence, weight shifting between his feet and a heat rising up from his neck to his face due to his error in speech, naming a trooper by their birth name rather than assigned number. To his left is a stormtrooper, she wears an off-duty uniform rather than standard armor. I raise my hand, silencing the Lieutenant.

“It is alright, Lieutenant Lyste. What is the issue?” I ask, closing the holomap I had been studying prior.

He takes a deep breath, steeling himself. The subject of his concern must be of high stakes interest to the man. Perhaps he fears retribution should I dislike his statement. “It is about your aide.”

My interest fully engaged, I steeple my hands, sitting forwards in my seat.

“He’s been… Trafficking things on board the ship.” Lyste offered, breaking eye contact at the admittance.

“Do you have proof of this?” I ask, not knowing Vanto to be one to break regulation. On many occasions I have found him trimming the smallest length from his hair to remain in the Empire’s good graces, not willing to risk even a millimeter longer than codes demand. I wonder if he has been caught breaking uniform regulation prior? The punishment for such a transgression is a cut much shorter than I am custom to seeing Vanto wear.  

In contrast to this, I note the Lieutenant’s accompaniment, a woman with hair in untamed natural curls and pants hemmed too short for her height. She is more confident in stance, but quickened breathing indicates nervousness as well. She begins to speak next.

“Yes, I’ve seen him carrying small parcels on board through the cargo bay, sneaking them under his tunic sometimes as he passes by. There are some advantages to the armor, it acts like a camouflage once officers are used to our constant presence. So, I see a lot of things that I’m sure you all wish to go undetected.”

She’s being honest, and perhaps even a bit too much so, but as the highest-ranking crew member on this ship, it is for the best for me to know such things. I mentally note this woman as a future resource, and absentmindedly wonder what else she may have seen as an undetected observer.

“I see.” I sit back, this is hardly a major issue after all. “I will be sure to speak to Commander Vanto about this issue.”

“Sir, there is more.” Vari continues, worry now etching her features. “I’ve had somewhat of a… Reaction to one of these parcels.”

“A reaction?” Perhaps not. The two humans before me share a glance, a quick exchange seeming to urge the woman to continue.

“Yes, I have a few allergies, nothing on the standard menu, rare spices mainly. It has never been a problem in my enlistment until recently. Had it not been for my helmet’s respirator I fear that I might have suffered a more serious allergic reaction when he passed me. You see, I got a long sniff of the pungent stuff.”

“In short, we feel that the recklessness of your aide is putting some of the crew in danger.” Lyste concluded, more confident in their case now.

Startling both humans, I rose from behind my desk and slowly walked to stand before a woven tapestry hanging on my wall, decorated with abstractions of fields of grain. “You are correct that it is irresponsible of my aide to endanger you in such a way. There will be action taken to prevent further incident.”

The action I now have in mind may not be quite what the others were hoping for, but I believe it will be most effective.

“Thank you, sir.”

“You are dismissed.”

Once again alone in my office, I run my hand along the intricate stitching of the tapestry, depicting small figures working the field, toiling under a trio of orange suns. There was something interesting about their labor, something only noticeable upon close inspection of the piece. Rather than simply plow and scythe the land, an indirect approach is taken by the workers, allowing large beasts to graze to clear the land and break up soil, and then utilizing the same creatures to chew through the grown stalks, simply collecting the fallen grain pods once the area has been razed.

It is such an approach that I will take in my confrontation of Vanto. A direct approach would leave opportunity for misdirection and deception, no the truth must be allowed to be bared freely much as the grain is left in the wake of fearsome creatures who would surely trample an uncareful attendant.

Checking the holo, the time is just before Vanto would have finished his shift and visited the mess hall for a meal. A meal I generally went out of my way to share with him. Often, I find that his insight can be a useful asset in my exploration of cultures, an outside perspective being welcome. So, abandoning my study, I resign to knowing my independent work of the day would be complete and leave my office.

There were pressing matters at hand, but I could not shake the thought of Vanto’s strange behavior. What could possess him to seek out rare spices and bring them on board. Were the military rations that unbearable for the human?

Receiving my own meal and seating myself beside Vanto, I scanned his tray for any sign of foreign additions and found none.

“You hungry or something?” He asked, pulling me from my observation. There was a sly grin on his face, as if he knew something I did not. Perhaps the seasonings were concealed in some way.

“Yes, very.” I replied, taking a large bite of the bland food set before me for emphasis. If I played this right, maybe some questions could be answered.

Chuckling, Vanto set his utensil down, twisting his body to face me. He suspected something was amiss. “Are you?”

“Indeed.” Another large bite.

Vanto sighed softly, turning back to his tray. Had he been watching me, he would have noted a softening of my shoulders. “Thrawn, what did I tell you about skipping lunch. It’s not healthy, human or Chiss.” He rebuked nonchalantly. “Lucky for you, I ate my three-square meals and if you are still hungry after you finish, you can have the rest of this… What even is this? You’d think after so many years we’d bother to ask that.”

“It is a nutrient compound.” I responded casually.

“Really? I had no clue.” Vanto responded sharply. “Sorry, being sarcastic.” He corrected when I did not provide a reply. Such nuances still, as Vanto would say, went over my head.

“Ah.”

Finishing the meal before me quickly, I was quite sated but the matter of Vanto’s tray remained. Reaching over, I gathered the last remains of his own sustenance in my utensil and ate it, mulling over the flavor. It was unchanged from my own plain food. Interesting.

“You know.” Vanto started, peering just over my shoulder as he often would when unsure of himself. I angled my head to catch his gaze, causing a tightening of his muscles. “If you, um, still wanted to eat, I’ve got something I want to try.”

The seeds had practically planted themselves.

“Something to try?” I pressed, hoping to sound genuinely ignorant of what his implications were.

“Some ingredients really. I’ve been missing the flavors of home.”

Our patrol brought us no where near the system within which Lysatra resided. Vanto had to know I knew this, perhaps this was a trap for me to fall into, gauge just how desperate I was to inquire into this hidden acquisition of food products. My replies would need to be well measured.

“Lysatran foods, you mean?”

Vanto began to warm further, the heat spreading across his tan cheeks. “Not quite, but bantha steaks can be found pretty much anywhere. Aside from this ship, that is.”

“Except for your quarters?”

“Yeah.”

Bantha steaks did not line up with the trooper’s description of smuggled parcels, but perhaps these had been obtained on a trip she had not observed. Regardless, I had not had an opportunity to try this delicacy and looked forward to tasting it. However, I would need to keep the issue in mind and find an opportune moment to remind Vanto that some crew members may have a sensitivity to foreign, unapproved items. Further, there was still a chance that everything would not be as it currently seemed.

“I can bring them over to your place, right? Not like I’ve got a full kitchen or anything.”

Gathering my tray, I rose. “Of course. I will meet you there shortly.”

“Thanks!”

Arriving at my quarters before Vanto, I was hailed on my comm link before the doors could even close behind me. Holding out the cylindrical device, I answered the call. “Admiral Thrawn.”

On the other end was the trooper from before. “Sir! I have just spotted Lieutenant Vanto carrying the contraband items! Should I stop him?” She sounded anxious, excited even.

“No.” I replied flatly. “He is bringing the items to me so that they may be… disposed of.”

“Understood, sir!”

With that handled, I went about preparing for Vanto’s culinary promise. I had hardly used the provided kitchen in my quarters, merely utilizing the cooling unit for storage of beverages. Setting out some basic cooking tools, a tone signaled Vanto had arrived. Walking to the door, I unlocked it using the console and waved Vanto inside. He carried several paper bags in his arms.

“Thank you for letting me use your kitchen.” He commented while making his way to said room. “Been waiting for a good opportunity to ask you, chef didn’t seem too keen on letting me use the mess facilities.”

“For good reason, I am sure.” I added, curious as to how aware he was of his transgression.

“Hey now, don’t take their side!” Eli responded, setting his parcels down on the stone counter. “Little bit of flavor never hurt anybody.”

Oh, how incorrect he was. Allowing myself to smile lightly, I slid into the kitchen, standing behind Vanto at a respectable distance, but close enough to peer over his shoulder. His breath hitched slightly, shoulders tensing.

“Thrawn?” He asked timidly.

“I am observing your work.”

His skin prickled as my breath wafted across his neck, the high collar of his uniform tunic not protecting all the skin. Realizing the man had practically froze, I stepped away and moved to stand across from him, the counter dividing us. Vanto immediately loosened, opening the largest parcel and dumping its contents onto a large plate.

Two large cuts of red meat now glistened before us. “The bantha steaks.” He announced, tilting the plate to show off the thick pieces. I could tell he was quite proud of his acquisition and was trying to impress me. I’d seen plenty of steaks before, just of a different species, on Csilla, but I’d entertain the human on this.

“Very interesting.”

Vanto seemed to deflate a bit at my response, setting the plate down. “Well, just you wait until they are ready. Then it’ll be more than interesting I promise you that.”

Determined, the human opened the other parcels, revealing dried plants and small vials of minerals. Holding up a particular vial, Vanto commented. “Been lookin’ for this little additive for quite some time. Your tongue will thank me.”

Opening the vial, a sharp smell hit my nose and tickled my eyes. Vanto seemed unaffected, breathing deeply. “That’s the stuff.”

Dumping much of the mineral on the steaks, Vanto rubbed it into the meat, then repeated the process with many of the other items.

“Smells…” Do not say interesting. “Different.”

Turning his head to me with a small frown, Vanto narrowed his eyes. “Don’t knock it before you try it.”

Did Vanto really think I had no experience with cooking meat in such a fashion? Or was this another test. I was simultaneously impressed and perplexed by the human. It would be best for me to redirect the conversation.

“Would you like a drink?”

Vanto smiled warmly as he ignited the single burner on the counter, placing a large pan over the flame. “Yeah, please. Got anything fruity?”

Turning to the cooling unit, I withdrew a long bottle containing a purple fluid, a deep red wine. Vanto opened another vial, this scent incredibly powerful. I had to pinch my nose to stifle a sneeze and fought back a cough. Vanto was not joking about flavor, and it would not surprise me if this mineral was the cause of the negative reaction.

“What did you just open?” I asked, setting the bottle down and fetching two stemmed glassed.

“Secret family recipe, sorry.” Vanto teased, setting the steaks into the pan with a sizzle.

I could mention the possibility of reaction to the strong spice, but no. There was another route I intended to take, and in order for there to be maximum impact, and best result, there would need to be no foreshadowing of my action.

The scent soon wafting out of the pan was quite appetizing, and after pouring the wine I offered Vanto a glass, which he graciously accepted. Taking a sip, he hummed to himself. “Breaking out the good stuff for me, hm? Where is this from, Ryloth?”

“Yes, in fact it is. I did not realize you were a connoisseur of wines, Eli.”

“There’s a lot about me that you don’t know.”

Soon, I realized where I had poured the glasses in relation to where Vanto had been cooking.

“You saw the bottle.”

“Maybe. What if I did?” Vanto laughed, a lovely and hearty sound that rang from his core and warmed my very being.

“Nothing, nothing.”

Turning his attention back to the pan, Vanto flipped the steaks, showing off a dark char on the cooked side of the meat. “Perfect. Just a little longer and it’ll be ready.”

Reaching back into the bags, the human drew fresh green stems, tossing them into the hot pan. “Bean pods, nice and crisp. Goes well with these, good contrast.” He answered before I could ask.

“I did not know you were such a chef.”

“Like I said, you don’t know a lot about me. Back home, I’d help pa grill in the back yard. Cousin burnt the house down baking cookies, so we did most of the cooking outside when we rebuilt, for ma’s sake.”

Leaning forward on the counter, I nodded. “Thank you for sharing.” It was not often that Vanto would reveal information about his childhood, so I enjoyed the small morsels he would provide.

“Yeah, well, thanks for letting me use your kitchen. Can you pull some plates for me? Just about done with these.”

“It was not being utilized before, so I am sure the kitchen is thankful to you as well.” I added while reaching into the cabinets to fetch plates and a serving platter. Taking a step back, I severely underestimated the size of the space and bumped into Vanto, our backs crashing into each other.

“Apologies.” I utter, lingering for just a moment too long, feeling Vanto’s body heat through the layers of clothing separating us. I try to not linger on this thought, however. I must focus on the plan.

After plating the food, Vanto sets it down at the table, and I bring over the wine. “It looks wonderful.” I comment, pulling out Vanto’s chair for him.

He gives me a strange glance, perhaps this move was unexpected, but sits, and then I do the same, taking in the scent of the steaks before us. The strong spice, although subdued, still dominated the odor of the food.

“You can pick which one you want.” Vanto commented, gesturing to the platter. “I’d go with the one on the left if I were you, though.”

Was this yet another trap? Was one steak spiced, and one not? Would Vanto expect me to follow his suggestion, or to go against his wishes? Does he expect me to think this hard on it, and expected me to do the opposite of what he suggested, and then think I will turn around and do as suggested to subvert his expectations?

“They are both the same, that one’s just a little bigger, and I know you are hungry. I’m not trying to trick you.” 

Oh. But was that the truth?

“This is something you have been looking forward to, I think I will leave the larger steak for your enjoyment.” I say, taking the smaller cut. “Besides, I finished your meal earlier, it would not be fair for me to take the lions share a second time.”

Vanto shook his head softly. “Always so selfless, I should have expected that. Well, I hope you like it!” Stabbing the larger steak, Vanto transferred it to his plate, then adding some bean pods on top. I follow suit, taking a few of the long green stems.

Then, it is the moment of truth.

“Dig in!”

Cutting a piece that is small but not so much so to be suspicious, I tentatively taste the meat, noticing that Vanto is far too engrossed in his own cut to pay much attention to my tasting. Perhaps there is no trick here, no ploy, simply a desire to share a favorite meal with…

The spice hit my tongue immediately. I involuntarily let out a soft whimper.

Vanto looks up, mouth full as he chews a large bite. I can see heat radiating from his mouth and rising but his expression is unaffected. “Eat some of the pod.” He suggests through his full mouth, voice coming out muffled as he’s focused on the food.

I take his word for it and cut a piece of the bean pot, taking it in and finding myself pleasantly surprised. It has an expected grassy flavor, but also with a bit of sweetness from the small beans nestled inside the pod. This not only dampens the spice of the meat, but enhances the flavor, allowing the more iron, game notes of the steak to shine through. Swallowing, I nod to the meal before me.

“I can see why you keep this recipe a family secret.” I comment. Vanto beams.

“So you like it?”

“Yes, it is quite good.” I smile lightly, taking another bite of the steak and pod. This would not be my first choice of meal, and perhaps years of the bland rations have dulled my pallet, but the food is genuinely enjoyable if a bit over seasoned.

Vanto has already downed nearly a third of his portion and takes a long drink of the wine. “Figured you would also appreciate some proper seasoning. Can’t stand it really, its not like those spices are expensive or anything. You know how easy it would be to improve the rations?”

“About that.” I began. It was time to break the news to Vanto, but I knew also how I would soften the blow.

Vanto looked at me a bit suspiciously. “What’s wrong?”

“Well, your market trips did not go unnoticed. There have been complaints.”

“Complaints? You should see the stuff smuggled away in the trooper barracks!” Vanto started, jabbing the steak with his utensil.

I exhale, softening my expression. “It is not the nature of your actions, but rather the product. The secret ingredients in your cooking have caused an allergic reaction for a patrolling trooper.”

Vanto slumped in his seat, gripping his knife tightly. “That so.”

“Unfortunately, I will have to ask for this meal to be a one-time occasion.”

Nodding, Vanto returned to his food with much less gusto. “Sorry for causing trouble. Won’t happen again.”

“Thank you.” I take another bite, the sound of my chewing deafening in the silence. “So, may I ask what that ingredient is?” I ask gently.

“Mo’rab root extract, crystalized. Tricky stuff to find, only grows in volcanic soil and is more trouble than its worth.” Vanto huffed, frowning.

I inhale sharply, swallowing my chewed bite suddenly. “Did you say… Mo’rab root?”

“Yeah, what of it? You allergic too?” Vanto was once again being sarcastic I assume, hoping that if he feared that I was in danger he would show more concern than a pouted lip.

“Allergic, no, but Chiss have a reaction to this ingredient.”

I allow myself to now dwell on the thoughts of earlier, on our brief contact in the kitchen. On the glass I drink from, the glass Eli’s lips had graced just minutes before I refilled the vessels. A blush quickly rises to paint my features.

Vanto’s eyes blow open. “Oh. Oh no. No, no, I am so sorry Thrawn! What did I do?” He holds his head in his hands, visibly upset.

Moving to his side, I squat down next to him. “I am not in pain…” I reassure him. Then, daringly, I set my hand on his wrist, pulling his hand from his face.

My pupils dilate seeing Eli’s face so close to mine, the brown of his eyes shining in the light. His breath caresses my face, deepening my blush.

Not pulling away, Eli stares back into my eyes intently. “Then… What kind of effect does it have?”

I have not released Eli’s wrist. “May I show you?” I whisper. My heart is racing, and my skin is tingling in anticipation.

The way Eli looks at me, I believe he knows. “Yeah. Please.” He nods subtly, head inclining towards my own. Planting a knee on the floor, I make the rest of the distance.

Our lips touch for just a moment, then I pull back, mouth slightly agape. I knew to a point that everything about Eli was perfect, but now the silken touch of his lips was another addition to this information. Somehow, his gaze softened further, and his head turned slightly, hair sweeping across his forehead.

“Oh.”

My entire body stiffens. Oh. Oh? What does that mean. I try to stand but I find myself frozen to the spot. What have I done?

“Do you… Do you really want this?” Vanto asks, rubbing the back of his neck as his skin flushes a deep red.

I’ve come this far. I should lay it all out.

“Eli, I have wanted this for a long time.”

Eli turned to face me again, his expression unreadable. “Thrawn. I’ve wanted it too.

His warm hands plant themselves on my cheeks, and his head dips down. I am enveloped in a kiss, my eyes fluttering shut. Eli nibbles my lower lip, humming softly. The sound is the sweetest thing I’ve heard in my days, and I deepen the kiss, sliding my tongue between open lips.

What is both an eternity and merely a moment passes before Eli pulls away, sliding off his chair to meet me on the floor in an embrace. I rest my head in the crook of his neck as he runs his hands through my hair. His short nails slide along my scalp pleasantly, and I plant a delicate kiss on the bit of skin exposed above Eli’s collar.

“Thrawn.” He says softly. “I need to know… Is this only because of the food?”

Immediately ashamed, I hang my head, my hands falling from where they held previously around Eli’s waist. “I have a confession to make…”

“Don’t tell me yet. First, I need to know.” Eli pulled back, using his hand to raise my chin so that he may look into my face. “How do you know about Mo’rab root’s effect on Chiss anyhow? It’s from the mid rim.”

“There is much you do not know about me.”

“Krayt spit. You big, old, unfathomably handsome liar.”

“I apologize for deceiving you…” I sit back on my heels, furthering myself from Eli. He leans forward.

“Nah, it was cute to be honest. Clever too, but not quite clever enough.”

“What?”

“I know more about you than you think, Thrawn. And now I know that you weren’t lying. And neither was I.”

Eli moved quickly, wrapping his arms around my neck and pushing me down. He rested his body on my own and peppered my jaw with kisses. This was nearly too much at once, but it was the good sort of stimulation, and I shuddered in pleasure, letting out a gentle sound.

“Was that a purr?” Eli asked, nipping at my cheekbone now.

“A purr?” I was not familiar with this word.

Eli imitated the sound I made, a low reverberation of the vocal chords. Well, he attempted to imitate it. It was not quite successful, sounding forced. “Like that.”

“Then yes, I made a purr.”

Eli laughed. “It’s a verb, silly.”

“Oh, I see.” I met his next kiss with my own lips, holding the back of his head in my hands. His hair was as lush as I had imagined, the auburn waves tangling between and around my fingers. Hitching my leg around his own, I soon felt something peculiar pressed against my gut. If the man had been any taller, it would have been in a much more precarious position.

Having seen Eli nude before when we shared quarters, this protrusion felt much larger than what I had seen him endowed with. Had he already released?

“Sorry.” Eli apologized breathlessly. “You’re really hot.”

“Your temperature is also quite high.” I comment, enjoying the flush decorating his skin.

“No, I mean attractive. Well, you are warm too, that’s nice I guess.”

I propped myself up on an elbow, kissing the space between Eli’s eyes. “I understand that a release is not something you control, no need to apologize.”

Eli was stunned, face contorting for a few seconds as he processed my statement. “Release? Don’t get to ahead of yourself now, Thrawn. I’m not there yet. But I can be.” He winked, rubbing against me. Yes, he had most definitely released. I felt it move against me.

“But look, you have released, the evidence is plain to see.”

“Thrawn, I’m just hard. Hard to hide something that big.” Eli gave me a sultry look, and now I was the one who was confused. There was a much more efficient route to the truth.

“Take off your uniform.” I say, a bit of a commanding edge to my voice. Force of habit I suppose.

“Cutting right to the chase huh?” Eli asked, biting his lower lip. “Alright, but you too.”

Both of us rising to our feet, I removed my uniform quickly, resting the garment on my chair and setting my boots aside. Eli was having more trouble, fumbling with the clasp of his belt. Stepping closer, I release the metal buckle for him.

“Thanks…” The human stammered, I circled around to stand behind him, shrugging the tunic from his shoulders and tossing it onto another chair. Then, Eli lowered his pants, the fabric pooing at his ankles.

“See, all dry.” Eli stated plainly.

I rest my head on his shoulder, peering down at something most unexpected. 


	2. harvest

“Dry, yes, but I do not see what that has to do with lack of release.” I am truly dumbfounded at Vanto’s insistence. His member stands at attention, a smooth and gently curved erection. A membrane of sorts seems to encase the bulbous head, and its base rests within a familiar tangle of dark curls. It was odd to me that a human’s member did not fully recede inside of an enclosure for protection, but there was no doubt that it was now on full display as an engaged limb.

“Thrawn, it’s an erection…” Vanto began with a sigh. “It means I’m… Aroused. Not that I came.”

Interesting.

“So, you may rise it when you wish to mate?”

More heat rushed to Vanto’s already flushed face, spreading down his core. “Well, I don’t really have much control over it, more of an involuntary reaction than anything.”

“Sounds very inconvenient to not be in control of one’s own body.”

Vanto shrugs, his shoulders rubbing against my chest. I lean into his touch.

“It can be, I guess.” He turns around quickly, eyes darting to my groin. “But it has its charms.” I can tell by his expression that he is confused by my lack of an erection, as he called it. “How does yours work, then?”

“It is within.” I state simply, inclining my head to place a short kiss atop Vanto’s head. “But that does not need to be the case for long.”

Vanto’s gaze rises to meet mine, eyes opening in understanding. “Ahh, you thought that I came because… Jeez Thrawn, you’re smooth but you’re not that smooth.” He smiles warmly, an arm snaking around the rest in the small of my back.

I return a smile, nuzzling closer still. “I do believe that I am smoother than you.”

Nearly loosing my footing, I shudder greatly as Eli runs his hand across my bare groin, the flushed skin tingling at his touch. He senses my suddenly elevated heart rate, silently using his arm to guide me to sit down on the chair that is pulled away from the table. Falling to his knees before me, Eli places a hand on each of my thighs.

“Why don’t we open you up and see just how smooth you are, hm?” He practically growls, applying pressure to my legs. I concede instantly, spreading myself for him.

His mouth hangs agape for a short moment before speaking again. “Stars, Thrawn…”

I cannot fully read his expression, somewhere between shock and confusion I fear it is. “It is… different than yours.”

Vanto shakes his head to force some curls that had fallen forwards out of his sight. “Nothing wrong with that, I just want to make ya feel good.”

“I can show you.” I reply quickly, eagerly. The slight bulge between my legs throbs, Eli’s eyebrow quirking at the twitching.

“Someone’s in a hurry.” He chuckles. “Yeah, give me the tour.”

Sliding my hand down, I separate the discrete folds of my entrance, revealing a tight passage in which my member is curled inside. At the stimulation, the wings slide out along the sides of the passage, thin folds of sensitive tissue that secrete bright, thick fluid.

“You’re pink…” Is all that Vanto mutters as I bite my lip to keep from crying out, the cold air whipping against my exposed sex. I press a single finger in, using the palm of my hand to warm myself.

“I… Please.” Is all I can mutter, already loosing myself at the contact combined with the sight of Eli’s deep eyes taking me in, his own grip sliding down to the tender insides of my thighs.

The wings unfurl further, reaching out for more friction as I insert a second digit, scissoring myself briefly before pulling out. My fingers will simply not do any further.

“Like that, ok can do…” Eli whispers, almost reverently as his own palms take up the space mine occupies. He pinches the wing between his finger and thumb, gently to not hurt anything. Bucking my hips, I succumb to my voice and moan deeply. Using both hands, Eli begins to massage the wings. This is nearly enough to send me over already, tears collecting at the corner of my eyes due to so much stimulation after many years of none. My breaths are fast, short, while Eli’s own long breaths breeze across my exposed skin.

In a move unexpected, Eli moves his head forwards, placing his lips at my entrance and speaking into me. “This alright?”

His eyes peer up at me over the curve of my body, long lashes flitting beautifully with each blink. His curls tickle my legs, and I gently press against his head with them. Nodding, I breathily consent. Then, his tongue darts out to draw a long, warm stripe across me. I melt into the sensation that sends sparks from my core to my fingertips, reaching out to bury my hands in his dark, wavy locks.

Dragging my fingernails along his scalp elicits a pleased hum from Eli, one that sends vibrations into me. Yearning for more, I slowly press forward, Eli deeply inhaling my scent. The corners of his eyes crease as he grins, tongue now circling my entrance. Once he is within me, he stretches the length of the hot muscle, taking up all the space I have to offer. With a keening mewl, I know that I am ready to release. In one fluid motion, my tendril unfurls, pressing Eli’s tongue against my passage even more intensely.

Erupting out of me, the pink tendril is coated in my fluid as I come, more of the stuff coating Eli’s cheeks and chin. The color accents his earthy skin tone, bringing out the brightness of his blush.

Slumping down in the chair, Eli pulls back, his tongue slipping back between his lips after lapping at the viscous liquid clinging to him. My view of him is obstructed by my member, swaying gently back and fourth as it reaches for contact.

Wordlessly, Eli reaches out to it, running his hand along its underside. Finding something to anchor myself to, my tendril wraps around his hand, pulling it close to its bulging base. Eli gently grasped the sensitive tendril, taking my breath away.

“I’ll take that I did a good job.” He managed to say, resting his face against my leg. I ran my hand down along the curve of his cheek, totally engrossed in the ecstasy of this moment.

“Eli, you are everything that is good and lovely in this galaxy.” I murmur, nearly slipping into the phrase’s native Cheunh. Eli’s eyes sparkled as I said this, his hand beginning to gently slide along my entire length.

“Always the poet, sorry if I am blunt but kriff you are massive. How’d you even keep this in there?”

Now it is my turn to laugh, Eli’s head bobbing with the motion of my body. “It is not as… inflated inside of me.”

“That makes sense.”

A lazy stroke towards himself lead to my probing at his lips, my tip gently burrowing under his lower lip. Opening his mouth, Eli took in the narrow tip of the tendril, sucking softly as more and more of the length slid within him, uncoiling from around his hand. Feeling the loss of pressure, I softly lead his smaller hand to cup the round base of my member, which he gives a firm squeeze that sends me back into the stars.

As I am enveloped within Eli’s wet heat, I lose myself further, eyes delicately closing as the fireworks within me take over all my senses. Eli’s breaths become quicker, more frantic, and then he pulls back, my member trailing across his teeth before once again free, searching for purchase.

“Hang on now, Thrawn.” Eli began, a mischievous gleam in his eye as he sat up straighter. “Since this is out…”

Unable to even think clearly, I cock my head, not it is my turn to be confused. Eli’s face blazes with heat but he presses on, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Does that mean I’ll fit?”

Pulling myself to sit up in the hard chair, I look down at Eli’s own cock, seeming to strain outwards. “Yes, I believe so.”

“Good, I have an idea.” Then he was on top of me, pressing his mouth and my own taste against my lips, tweaking my nipple with one hand while the other braced himself against my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around him, falling back against the chair as I slid lower, having to use my legs to keep myself from slipping off completely.

Pulling out of the heated kiss, a bridge of saliva connecting us, I whisper. “An idea?”

Eli grinds his hip against me, my member wrapping around his own for a brief moment before he stands, ripping away from my hold as quickly as I had gained it. “Yeah, but we’ll need your bed for it.”

Rising on unsure legs, Eli reached out to support me, an arm under my own.

“You good to walk?”

“Yes, I will make it.” I respond softly, leaning on Eli for more than just balance. Stumbling to the bedroom, I find myself laying on my back against the soft comforter.  Eli crawls on top of me, pressing my shoulders down into the bed further.

Curling a hand around his head, I pull his head down for another kiss, my essence on his tongue, sweet and sharp.

“There is… Something more you should know.” I murmur, his lips trailing down my jaw with needy bites.

“Mhm?” He hums, laying his body atop mine, trailing his fingers along my ribs and again to pinch at my pert nipple. Humming softly, I collect myself, gently redirecting his hand to my side.

“When Chiss mate we connect within each other…” I begin softly, searching for the right words to express the concept. “Both are penetrated and penetrate at the same time.”

Eli’s eyes light up, and he bites his bottom lip, slightly swollen from our kiss. “That so?” Sitting up, he seems to inspect my member, which is now gripping at his thigh, rubbing pink come within his dark hair. His hand moves to wedge itself beneath me, the touch causing me to purr, as he called it. “You shouldn’t be allowed to be so cute, really.”

“I could say the same to you.” I respond, watching my tendril wrap itself between Eli’s outstretched digits as he presses it down and against the bed to inspect the opening from which it came.

“Then say it.” He says smoothly, removing his hand from my grip with a jerk, then rising to his knees above me. “Or something more, mm?”

I prop myself up on my elbows, observing the brazen human perched over me. Before I can fabricate the perfect thing to say, the tip of his cock is pressed against my now gaping entrance.

“Don’t bother, you’re already ready for me, aren’t you?”

I exhale shakily, the only way I can muster. “I can take it.”

“You’re going to love it.”

Arcing his back, he presses into me, and I see stars. All I am aware of is his throbbing heat within me, filling up what was once a void with his presence. I grip the hands pressed into my hips. A strangled groan escapes my lips.

Eli pulls out to just the tip and presses in again, setting a quick pace. “Say my name, Thrawn. Scream it.”

How do I dispute that?

“Eli,” I speak, reverently. He plunges himself in deeper, brushing against every inch of me. I say it again, louder. “Eli!”

The look on his face is one of both adoration and ecstasy. “Louder.” He pleads, quickening his pace.

The edges of my vision are fuzzy, Eli is all I can see, all I can think. “Eli! Eli!”

The words are shouted, the breath shooting from my lungs. It feeds him, encouraging him to press harder, faster.

Suddenly, there is clarity. There is something missing. I sense his muscles tightening, preparing for release. My hands jump to his sides, firmly stopping his motions.

“Thrawn…” he whispers. His expression pleads for me to allow him to finish. I roll my hips once, excruciatingly slow.

“I’d like to connect with you, Eli.”

His gaze moves downwards, my member resting against his rear. “Alright. Slowly. I’m not, erm, loosened up.”

“I understand.” Permission given, I begin to circle the tight ring of muscle at his own entrance, tight and clenched. “Relax into it.”

Eli huffs. “I’d be more relaxed if you weren’t holding me still.”

With a knowing grin I loosen my grip, arms wrapping around to rest on his soft posterior, giving each cheek a squeeze. Eli leans forward, elbows resting on my chest. He winks, a charming gesture. “You can be a bit more forceful, too.”

That so?

My expression must betray my thoughts as Eli nods once, wiggling his rear and sending sparks shooting within me, suddenly fully aware of the girth within me again as it moves with his hips.

My palm cracks against his cheek as the narrow tip of my member slips within him, the slick and warmth tempting me to press fully in, but the panting breaths of Eli remind me to enter slowly. He rocks his hips now, setting a slower pace to which I gently press and pull.

He moans, a long and drawn out sound, as I press in further, reaching halfway down my own length whose girth increases the closer to the base one travels. “Nearly there?” He asks softly, a sheen of sweat on his forehead.

“Not quite.” I respond breathily, indulging myself in the tight feeling within him as he presses against me at just the right angles.

Groaning, his eyes flutter shut. “I know you’re kriffing massive… Feels so much more in me.”

Opening again, there is a new gleam to them, something predatory even. Rocking back violently, more of me is forces within him, filling the space so that my tip must curl inwards. He cries out as I brush up against something different within him. Forcing his hips down further, his rim sits just at the top of my knot, currently firm and screaming for attention.

“So massive.” He breathes, and I twist my tip again, brushing against this new spot that gives him the same beautiful feeling I know well now. It is nearly too much, but not enough.

“Can you take more?” I ask, innocently despite the question being quite the opposite of this. Eli’s head bows, his breath dancing across my bare torso.

He shifts a bit, widening his stance and pressing himself to the hilt within me. My breath hitches with a soft huff.

“Ruin me.”

I begin to press against that straining ring of muscle further, encouraging it to open and take all of me as I have accepted Eli.

Eli bites down on my shoulder, sucking hard enough that I am certain it will leave a lovely dark mark, just in the shape of him. He presses back, muscles tight from the pain but he strains to take me regardless. It is stunning to experience this, our bond now physical as well as emotional, his body yearning for it. As my widest point breaches, Eli swears loudly, biting down again a bit to the right of the first mark. His breaths are frantic, and with a quick snap of my hips it is done.

His exterior knot, a sack with two mounds within it, is held tightly between our intertwined forms, now joined. Eli’s head turns to kiss at my jaw sweetly, murmuring incoherently. Another twirl of my member drives him mad, tears forming in the corner of his eyes from the tight intensity of it all. I myself feel entirely enveloped by my lover, wrapping my arms around him tightly as I purr softly, the reverberations traveling through my limbs. The human shudders in my grasps, jerking his hips in a bid for friction, my knot pressing against his entrance but refusing to leave him.

Straining, I grab his shoulder, raising him up. I tuck a stray strand of hair behind his ear, his head rolling limply.

“Are you alright?” I ask, nervous that I took his request a bit too seriously. I hold his head up to look at my own face. His eyes are glazed over, but blink into focus.

“Yeah, yeah, kriffing amazing. Stars…” He rolls his hips again, bracing himself on my abdomen, using the other hand to trace the form of my muscles. “We fit well.” He says, just above a whisper with that fierce gaze returning to his features.

“I am glad.”

“You’re going to be more than glad.” Snapping his hips, Eli picks up his pace, and I continue to move within him. His shifting pressure combined with the tight squeeze within him, my member pressing against his walls and itself, bring me again to the edge of orgasm.

“Gonna come in ya…” he murmurs, solely devoted to his motions. His heat rises further, and his hair sticks to his wet brow.

This thought is what pushes me over the edge, and I feel a tightness within me that I had not experienced in many years.

Eli’s eyes bulge as my knot begins to expand. “H-how!” he stutters, stopping his motion and clinging to me.

“Eli…” is all I can mutter as I come, pouring out from the ridged seams of my member, the knot sealing it all inside. I feel Eli jerk a final time, then melting into my embrace as he experiences his own climax.

“Thrawn… How… It’s growing.” He whispers as he rides out his orgasm, mewling as more seed flows between us.

As I reach my full size, Eli grips my form as his own member softens momentarily, only to harden again.

“I don’t think its gonna fit the other way.” He muses with a soft laugh. I flit my fingers through his hair with a laugh of my own, eyes closed to enjoy the sensation of stretching my mate further.

“Then I suppose we will be joined for life.”

Eli breaths deeply. “You know, I don’t think I’d mind that one bit.” He jokes, ruffling my own locks as he tilts his head to look at me again. I worry I may grow further just from his stare. His eyes are hooded over, and his mouth sits in a slack grin. He is very much pleased, I sense.

I trace the curve of his spine lazily. “That would be ideal, but I am afraid it will go down.”

“Drat. Guess we will just have to do this again.”

“I would like that, if you will have me.”

“I’d have no one else.”

Curling into one another, we remain interlocked as my member begins to calm itself, the blood returning to my core as it begins to deflate. Eli, however, remains solid, spearing me with his rigid member.

“Aw…” He pouts charmingly as my member fully retracts, slipping out of him and into its pouch. I soon realize that his member takes up much of the space. We both shudder at this revelation, and his thrusting resumes with a grunt.

“Legs up.” He says in a tone that prompts me to follow his command, placing one leg and then the other over his shoulders. His body strains to remain upright, his gentler form and shimmering dark brown skin tensed. His nails dig into my flesh, and his relentless pace has me gripping at the covers for purchase but finding none.

I’m too far gone now to be sure, but I think I hear a growl come from the smaller human. It is with a loud yelp that he comes this time, spilling inside of me again to coat all my being in his seed.

Pulling out, my legs slide from his shoulders, resting at either side of him. His arms fall to rest on his legs, sitting himself back on his heels. His mouth hangs open as he catches his breath, a mix of pink and while fluid sticking to his member and coating his coarse hair. I am sure my state is equally messy, and I force myself to sit up, pulling Eli into an embrace.

He rests his head into the crook of my neck, muttering something incoherent, or so I think. Turning his head, he repeats the phrase. “Love this…”

I nod, stroking the smooth expanse of his back with a hum.

“You’re so pretty, Thrawn. Can’t take it.”

“The feeling is mutual, Eli. You are impossibly handsome, irresistible.”

Eli pushes against me and then pulls me onto my side. “Just because you’re not in me doesn’t mean we have to be apart.”

I know that I should not be pursuing this, that one day our paths will have to diverge. But I also know that I spoke my truth. That now that our feelings are revealed, this is irresistible, something I can not deny.

“I wish to be at your side as well, Eli.”

He looks as if he wants to protest, to ask me to say something more definite, more intimate. But he does not, rather he curls into me, tangling his legs into my own. “I’m in front of you, silly.”

His face nestled against me, there is indeed nowhere else I would prefer him to be. I run my thumb along his cheek in small circles, the skin soft and pliant under my touch. Sensing sleep beginning to wrap its shadowy arms around us, I hold Eli close, inhaling his scent again, my own fragrance mingling with his own.

In the morning, we share a shower together before eating. Eli leaves the refresher in my own robe, a plush white fabric with the Chimaera logo I commissioned for my vessel embroidered on its back. The garment nearly swallows the human, reaching just above his ankles and the sleeves trailing past his fingertips.

I can’t help but to admire how comfortable he seems, untamed hair creating a wild halo around his face as he cards though the meager offerings of my cabinets.

“Are we really just going to have instant rations for breakfast? To think, you have an ace chef in your quarters, but nothing for him to cook with.” Eli laments, turning to me with several portions of rations in his hands.

Tightening the towel around my waist, I sigh a bit overdramatically. “If I kept other food in this kitchen it would only spoil.”

“A damn shame. Today we have portions, but tomorrow we are stocking this thing to the brim. And you can bet that it won’t go bad.”

There is not a bone in my body that doubts this. It is his enthusiasm and determination that is one of the many things that make’s Eli so attractive, after all. I stand at the counter with a mug of caf as Eli prepares the rations, adding a dash of left-over herbs and minerals to attempt to transform them in some way.

By the time he is finished, the robe has fallen mostly open, revealing the sweet expanse of his chest. As he sets down the plate of doughy rations, I envelop him in my arms, planting a kiss to his collarbone.

“Yeah, I know I’m delicious, but the meal is on the table.”

Delicious does not even begin to describe my feelings on the man I hold before me. If this is the product of a home cooked meal, we will just have to find new ways to stock the kitchen without harming the crew. It is for the best, I believe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah finally the saga concludes! I hope this was worth the wait!


End file.
